We survived the big summer slump in the NFL (thank God). The first training camps have been running since July 19th. A very good time, then, to take a look at the best free agents still available.
Both in offense and in defense there are one or the other exciting name that has not yet been found in any team.
offense
- Dalvin Cook, running back: The Minnesota Vikings have been looking for a trade partner for the 27-year-old Cook for a long time. Since no one was willing to take Cook, the Vikings fired him in early June. He is probably the best fit for a contender, but his salary expectations may stand in his way.
- Ezekiel Elliott, running back: Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys, is well known for his free agent rewards. That was also the case for Elliott when he signed a contract for 6 years and up to $90 million at the start of the 2019 season. Now the numbers that Zeke put on in Dallas were by no means bad, but the amount of carries was becoming more and more apparent to him, so that the dismissal was logical in some respects.
- Kareem Hunt, running back: Hunt comes from the role of Nick Chubb’s backup in Cleveland and should expect a similar role with a potential new team.
- Teddy Bridgewater, quarterback: Of course, you have to name at least one quarterback here, and the most notable free agent at that position is certainly the 30-year-old former Miami Dolphin. Teddy had two starts in 2022 and was injured in both games. He should definitely find a team later this season because good backups are just so important in the NFL.
- Leonard Fournette, running back: For “Playoff Lenny”, also 28, the time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers certainly ended a little differently than he had hoped – with his release in March. At the start, the Patriots in particular were interested in Fournette, and the ball carrier was recently in New England for a workout. However, nothing more has happened to date.
defence
- Yannick Ngakoue, Edge: We know pass rush and sacks are important in the NFL. The 28-year-old Ngakoue delivers that too. His problem: the running defense. As a result, he’s become a migratory bird in recent years, likely ending up on his sixth team in just four years.
- Jadeveon Clowney, Edge: Clowney, the first overall pick of the 2014 draft, didn’t end his Cleveland tenure particularly gloriously. He’s definitely not number 1 in pass rush, but as a second or third option he can certainly help some teams.
- Marcus Peters, cornerback: Peters, 30, proved last season after his season-ending injury in 2021 that he can still be a good starter in this league. 32 interceptions in his career speak for themselves, Peters will surely find another team.
- John Johnson III, Safety: At 27, Johnson is the youngest player on this list alongside Dalvin Cook. As a coverage safety, he should be placed with a team, especially now that training camps are starting.
- Ronald Darby, cornerback: Darby, 30, tore his anterior cruciate ligament in October 2022, missing the rest of the Broncos season. There should also be one or the other opportunity for him in the course of the camps.
DeAndre Hopkins was originally supposed to be number 1, but he was signed by the Tennessee Titans as of this writing. So a classic move for this time…
Sebastian Severin
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